LITERATURE: ORIGIN, CHARACTERISTICS, TYPES, FUNCTIONS AND CLASSICS - LITERATURE - 2025

The literature is a set of texts or stories that use the word to evoke thoughts, feelings and / or emotions in readers. Such texts can be narrative, descriptive or reflective works on a real or fictional event.

The Royal Spanish Academy defines literature as the "art of verbal expression", which is why it is linked to both the written and oral words. Although it normally has a poetic character, this term is also used to designate all the works available on a certain area of ​​knowledge or on a specific author: pedagogical literature, Mexican literature or Cervantes literature, for example.

The Royal Spanish Academy defines literature as the "art of verbal expression." Source: Tom Murphy VII, via Wikimedia Commons

At first the texts created were to be sung to the deities or recited. This type of literary creations entailed a more elaborate aesthetic work, which is why they reinforce its literalness and move away from the common of vulgar language.

When referring to literature, reference can also be made to literary works created in a particular nation, town, ethnic group, language or time. In addition, the term is used to cover what corresponds to literary genres, to exclusive texts of a type of science or of a particular art. Example: medical literature or Gothic literature.

Origin of literature

Texts with "eloquence" or "poetry"

After the invention of writing in Mesopotamia in the third millennium BC, it took 4,800 years for the term literature to emerge.

In the 18th century the Epic of Gilgamesh was called a text with "eloquence" or "poetry", which is considered the first written work. The same was true of the Greek Iliad or the Roman Aeneid, to name just a few texts.

The "poetry" in the Spanish Golden Age and its types

Spanish Grammar by Antonio de Nebrija

For its part, in the golden age of Spanish written creation - the Golden Age - the entire universe of elaborated texts was considered "poetry". This occurred regardless of whether the work was in prose or verse and whether the aesthetic treatment by the author was very careful or not. Now, in this period these poems were classified into three types:

- The lyric: in it everything related to the verses created to be sung was grouped.

- The epic: directly related to the narrative, regardless of whether it was developed in verse or prose.

- Dramatic: this was linked to theatrical works, being one of the most popular genres of the so-called "poetry" of the time.

The formal appearance of the term literature

As mentioned in advance, the term literature began to be used when the eighteenth century began and was used to group any action that made use of writing to express an idea or thought.

For its part, it is in the work Briefe die neueste Literatur betreffend written by Gotthold Ephaim Lessing where the word "literature" was used for the first time to house literary works. It is noteworthy that, at that historical moment, the term was only applied to texts that had a certain literary quality or "literalism."

The perception of the literality of the texts was later reinforced in the work Eléments de littérature by the French author Jean-François Marmontel.

English formalisms in the 18th and 19th centuries

At that time, in England the term literature became broader, giving place to letters, essays and philosophical treatises. This as long as the aesthetics were taken care of.

It is important to note that the novel was frowned upon as it was considered a poor form of written expression, which was also the case with street literature, ballads and popular poems among the settlers.

This attitude against the proper of the people responded more to a class opinion than to the aesthetics of the works. And it is normal that it happened if the political and social context of England at that time is studied.

Well into the 19th century, restrictions on what could or could not be considered literature in England continued. The creator of texts who stood out for his ingenuity and who fulfilled what the most studied and upper classes requested was called "literary". This was a term of height that was given only to few authors.

The stability of the term literature

Over the years, in the different populations of Europe, Asia, Africa, Oceania and later America, the word literature achieved the necessary stability. Now the term receives the manifestations that previously were considered little elaborate, giving room even to indigenous literature.

Characteristics of the literature

Antiquity

This is directly associated with the origins of literature itself. There are many theories about which were the first literary creations. However, the Epic of Gilgam esh remains the first of all. It is written on clay tablets, is of Sumerian origin and dates from approximately 2500 BC. C.

Originality

Gilgamesh figure from the Palace of Sargon II (Louvre Museum). Source: Louvre Museum

This quality is directly linked to the imagination and literary abilities of the author. It is normal to see hundreds of works written on the same subject, but each one will show the qualities or characteristics of its creator. Therefore, each literary work is unique and has a style that identifies and relates it directly to the writer.

Genders

The diversity of existing texts gave way to later being organized into genres. There is a wide variety of these, however, among all the lyrical, narrative and dramaturgy stand out, already explained in the previous paragraphs.

Literary figures

Each literary expression contains literary figures. These allow to increase the expressiveness of the texts. In turn, the use of these resources is determined by the communicative possibilities of the writer, as well as by their knowledge and use of language.

Literary figures play an important role in genres such as poetry, novels, and essays, as they strengthen discourse. These figures include alliteration, onomatopoeia or oxymoron, to name a few.

Literary trends

The concept of literary currents arises to encompass the works created in a given time and which have particularities that relate them to each other. Among these particularities, the style that was used when elaborating them, the ideology of their writers, the theme or the historical context in which they were developed, among others, stands out.

Avant-garde, modernism, magical realism and surrealism stand out among the most recent literary currents that there have been.

Poetic function

The poetic function is a particularity of literature that seeks to increase the intensity of the message that you want to convey. This characteristic is closely linked to literary figures, since through these the qualities of the text are highlighted. The poetic function goes hand in hand with the originality of each author.

Symbolism

A literary work, in general, represents the interpretation of a person about a particular event and that interpretation is usually presented with a connotative language, so it will have as many meanings as readers.

In addition, its major semantic load can be condensed in small fractions of the text, scenes, passages, which can transcend time. For example, the fight against the windmills, in Don Quixote; or the "To be or not to be", from Hamlet.

Verisimilitude

Although they do not always address real events, literary texts often refer to fictional events in a way that makes them seem possible. This is and should be so, especially in the narrative.

For example, in The Journey to the Center of the Earth, by Jules Verne, a fact is raised that has not been proven, but that many come to believe as true, thanks to the amount of scientific data that is exposed.

The latter precisely, contributes to the verisimilitude (similarity to reality) of the stories: that valid arguments are used in reality.

Emotionality

Although it has been said in previous lines, it should be noted as a characteristic of literature: the objective is to generate emotions.

The form and resources that are shown in a text, point to the reader being involved in such a way in the reading that he "lives" within the world created by the author and "feels" what the characters involved experience throughout the history.

Language also contributes to this because there are many words related to human sensations and / or emotions: heat, cold, vertigo, fear, curiosity, etc.

Literature as art

Cantigas de Santa María, an example of medieval literature.

As stated when mentioning the definition provided by the Royal Spanish Academy, literature is considered the art associated with verbal expression, either oral or written. This interpretation is due to the fact that in the beginning - although that conception still prevails - literature was provided for the creation of poetic texts to be sung.

For the most part, these poems (commonly in verse) were developed to be dedicated to the gods or as dirges for fallen heroes or kings. Therefore, their solemnity and religiosity gave them that artistic quality.

Currently this artistic characteristic of literature prevails. In fact, it cannot only be linked to poetry, the essay or the novel, but each text that is made can be considered as art, as long as its preparation is oriented to excellence.

Types of literature

Among the types of literature that exist, the following stand out:

Oral literature

It is the oldest and is directly linked to the popular beliefs of the peoples. Through this, the inhabitants transmitted their knowledge and customs to their fellow citizens, through stories, legends and myths.

Written literature

This arrived approximately in 3000 a. C, in Mesopotamia. At first it was developed on clay tablets, on walls and rocks, then on papyri and later on paper and electronic media. It includes a large number of literary genres.

Science fiction literature

This literature is part of the narrative genre and in it the writer includes facts from everyday reality or invented. It often happens that the creators of this literary genre go ahead in time and come to describe events that later occur. A clear case is represented by Jules Verne and his works.

Non-fiction literature

This type of literature also belongs to the genre of narrative, only that it is subject to real or testimonial events. Normally they are used in the development of the traditional novel and also the stories. The events that are included in these texts can be verifiable, which gives greater credibility to the work.

Fantastic literature

It usually presents facts and supernatural beings that can develop in the known world or invented worlds. In this type of texts, belonging to the narrative genre (although they can also be seen in poetry), the writer acts as a creator god of events, beings and things.

Literary genres

There are several ways to encompass literary genres, being confused in some cases with subgenres. The first classification - and one of the most accepted by writers in general - is the one proposed by Aristotle (384 BC -322 BC) in his work Poetics.

Poetics, the work of Aristotle. Aristotle / Public domain

In it it determines that the literary genres are distinguished in narrative, lyrical and dramatic.

Narratives

In Aristotle's time it was known as an epic genre. At that time he recounted legendary events (invented or real) that he combined with narration, dialogue and description.

Currently, the narrative is characterized by being a written category in which a narrator presents facts in prose form. At the same time it has several subgenres such as the novel or the short story.

Lyric

This genre is that of the poem, a form of expression in which the emotional takes on relevance in a symbolic way. The author's way of expressing himself usually has more weight than the facts themselves, relying on different literary resources to embellish the writing.

The usual form of writing is verse, although prose can also be used in some cases. Some of the lyrical subgenres are the song, the ode, the hymn, the elegy or the satire.

Dramatic

Its origins lie in Ancient Greece, being plays created as a cult to the gods. Dialogue is the engine of this genre, generally showing a lack of a narrator, as occurs in the theater.

According to Aristotle, this literary genre was encompassed by tragedy, comedy, drama and melodrama. At present, other subgenres have been added such as the farce, the tragicomedy or the didactic work.

The case of the didactic genre

There is no consensus as to whether the didactic genre could be the fourth literary genre. Its purpose is dissemination and teaching, with essays, dialogue, public speaking or general teaching as main sub-genres.

Functions of literature

Aesthetic function

This aspect refers to the beauty that an author can develop in the text. This quality is usually the most important attraction of the work.

Social function

It refers to the fact that literature texts usually serve as testimony of historical events, ideals and outstanding characters in the different times where they are created.

Cultural function

This function refers to the fact that literature serves as a bridge to communicate the knowledge, customs and culture of peoples.

Musical performance

Although it sounds incongruous, literature has a series of elements that when properly organized generate musicality. When this is achieved, it creates a pleasant feeling for those who appreciate the text.

This function is not only typical of poetry, but can be seen in any genre, what is needed is a good command of the language and its resources on the part of the writer.

Affective function

This refers to the emotionality that a writer can achieve when writing a text. Everything will depend on the qualities that the author possesses, on how well he handles the subject matter and the language.

Symbolic function

This section refers to the particular message that an author wants to convey based on the use of symbols to reinforce it. This function is directly linked to poetics, so literary figures play an important role in it.

Evasive function

This refers to the fact that both the author when writing and the reader who interprets or who listens to the literary work when it is narrated can escape from the reality they live. Yes, literary works serve to evade for moments those situations that are being lived.

Commit function

This function refers to the role that the author takes when writing a work and his responsibility before his readers and the story. You have to understand that each literary work has a message that will have an impact on those who read it, both for better and for worse. Herein lies the importance of the commitment that the writer assumes when creating it.

Classics of literature

Anonymous Author

Arthur Conan Doyle

Charles dickens

Daniel Defoe

Edgar Allan Poe

Edgar rice burrough

Emilio salgari

George Orwell

<> by George Orwell. Source: See page for author, via Wikimedia Commons

Gustave Flaubert

Hermann Melville

Jane Austen

Jonathan Swift

Juan Ramon Jimenez

Julio Verne

- Around the Moon.

Leon Tolstoy

Mark Twain

Oscar Wilde

Robert Louis Stevenson

Voltaire

Washington Irving

References

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2. (2019). Spain: Wikipedia. Recovered from: es.wikipedia.org.
3. Ordóñez, F. (2010). Functions of literature. Guatemala: Universal Literature. Recovered from: litefran.blogspot.com.
4. Meaning of literature. (2019). (N / A): Meanings. Recovered from: significados.com.
5. Raffino, M. (2019). Literature concept. (N / A): Concept. From. Recovered from: concept.de.